PlanetPulse.NG

I was walking through the streets of Lagos one day when I noticed something simple – people buying sliced watermelon. Interestingly, the ones that looked fresher and brighter were the first to go. No one needed to say anything; people just went for what looked better.

That moment stuck with me because it shows how our choices quietly influence things. What we pick, ignore, or go back for again tells farmers what to grow and tells food companies what to keep making.

Think about it, every time we buy something, we’re kind of voting with our money. Whether it’s plant-based milk, snacks without too many additives, or products in eco-friendly packaging, we’re ultimately shaping what becomes popular.

Here are a few factors influencing consumer choices:

1. Health matters more now
Gone are the days when food is taken lightly. These days, people are no longer eating just to feel full. There’s generally more focus on eating better.

You see more plant-based options everywhere now. Things like protein snacks or yoghurt with probiotics are becoming normal. And people actually read labels, if the ingredients look too complicated, it’s a turn-off.

2. People are starting to care about sustainability
Taste of food products is still important, but it’s not the only thing anymore. A lot of people now think about packaging – less plastic, more recyclable options.

Nigeria is losing about 38 million tonnes of food every year, and it has prompted urgent calls for action from the European Union, the Federal Government, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

The West African giant has emerged as the highest food-wasting country in Africa, highlighting a major gap in the country’s food system despite rising hunger levels.

The losses occur across farms, markets and households, mainly due to poor storage, weak transportation and inefficient distribution systems. Perishable items like fruits and vegetables are the most affected, often spoiling before they reach consumers.

The concerns were recently aired during the commemoration of the International Zero Waste Day in Abuja, where stakeholders highlighted the environmental and economic consequences of food wastage, stressing that resources such as water, energy, and labour are squandered when food is discarded.

In a statement released by the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, the Deputy Ambassador, Zissimos Vergos, pointed out that globally, nearly one billion tonnes of food were wasted in 2022 alone, representing almost 20 per cent of all food available to consumers.

Nigeria’s growing plastic waste problem is becoming a serious environmental and public health concern, with lawmakers warning that the pollution could affect not only ecosystems but also the country’s food supply.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, raised the alarm on Thursday in Abuja while opening a public hearing on Nigeria’s preparedness for a proposed ban on single-use plastics. The hearing was organised by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the matter at the National Assembly Complex.

Abbas said the scale of plastic pollution across Nigerian cities, waterways and dumpsites shows how urgent the environmental challenge has become.

“Our nation is grappling with a severe plastic waste menace that chokes our drainages, degrades our soil quality, threatens marine life in the Niger Delta and the Atlantic coastline, and ultimately infiltrates our food chain,” Abbas said.

Balancing environment and livelihoods

While supporting stronger action against plastic pollution, the Speaker warned that banning single-use plastics without proper planning could create economic disruptions.

He noted that plastic products remain central to many parts of Nigeria’s economy, including manufacturing, packaging, distribution and waste recycling. Thousands of businesses and workers depend on these sectors for their daily income.